Starting-motor transmission for internal combustion engines



May 11, 1955 11mm 3,182,515

STARTING-MOTOR TRANSMISSION FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed 111111525, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 11, 1965 H. KLEIN 3,132,515

STARTING-MOTOR 'wmmsmssxon FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed June 25, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,182,515 STARTING-MUIOR TRAN1VHSSION FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTEGN ENGINES Hermann Klein, Stuttgart-Kohl, Germany, assignor to Robert Bosch G.rn.b.H., Stuttgart, Germany Filed June 25, 1962, Ser. No. 204,828 Claims priority, application Girmany, June 29, 1%1,

6 ,07 Claims. (Cl. 74-7) The present invention relates to starting motors.

More particularly, the present invention relates to starting motors which are used to start internal combustion engines.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a relatively simple and reliable structure capable on the one hand of releasably retaining the transmission of such a starting motor in its rest position and capable on the other hand of braking the rotation of the starting motor when the transmission is placed in its rest position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a structure of this type which is capable of very effectively withstanding vibrations so that the parts which constitute the transmission of the starting motor will not vibrate excessively, particularly when the internal combustion engine has already been started and the starting motor transmission has returned to its rest position.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide for a starting motor transmission a unitary struc- .ture which correlates the holding of the transmission in its rest position and the braking of the starting motor in such way that the starting motor is necessarily braked when the transmission is releasably held in its rest position while the starting motor is necessarily released for operation when the transmission is no longer releasably held in its rest position.

With the above objects in view the invention includes, in a'starting motor transmission of the type referred to above, an elongated starting motor shaft having a smooth exterior surface portion and a threaded exterior surface portion. An elongated hollow pinion means surrounds the smooth portion of the starting motor shaft and is rotatable and axially movable relative thereto. An elongated hollow spindle surrounds and threadedly engages the threaded portion of the motor shaft, and overrunning clutch means is located between and interconnects the elongated hollow pinion means with the hollow spindle. A releasable holding means releasably holds the spindle in a rest position relative to the motor shaft, and a shiftable means, in the form of a hollow sleeve slidably surrounding the spindle, has a rest position retaining the releasable holding means in its position holding the spindle in its rest position relative to the motor shaft. A spring means cooperates with the shiftable means to urge the latter to its rest position, and this shiftable means carries one part of a brake means, the other part of which is fixedly carried by the motor shaft for rotary movement therewith, and when the shiftable sleeve is in its rest position the brake means is engaged for holding the motor shaft against rotation. A lever means is operatively connected to the shiftable sleeve and has a given rest position when this sleeve is in its rest position, and this lever means is turnable from itsrest position to .an operating position and during turning from its rest to its operating position shifts the sleeve in opposition to the spring means to a position which on the one hand releases the releasable holding means and which on the other hand disengages the brake means so that this shifting of the sleeve by the lever means releases the spindle together with the overrunning clutch means and the hollow pinion means for movement axially along themotor Patented l e/lay Ill, 1965 shaft to a position where the pinion means will engage a flywheel or the like of an internal combustion engine.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partly diagrammatic sectional elevation of a starting motor transmission according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows part of the structure of FIG. 1 in a position different from that illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along line IIIIII of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows:

FIG. 4 is a view of part of the structure shown in FIG. 3 taken in the direction of the arrow IV;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary partly sectional elevation showing another embodiment of a transmission according to the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a transverse section taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 5 in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the starting motor shaft 10 illustrated therein is connected to the rotary armature of the starting motor and has an elongated smooth exterior surface portion 11 as well as an elongated threaded exterior surface portion 12 axially displaced to the rear of the smooth surface portion 11. An elongated hollow pinion means 13 surrounds the smooth surface portion 11 of the motor shaft 10' and is rotatably and axially movable relative to the shaft 10. The elongated hollow pinion means 13 is supported for rotary movement by a bearing carried by the plate or bracket 15 of the motor. The elongated hollow pinion means 13 includes in addition to the pinion itself the elongated hollow shaft portion 14 which extends rotatably and slidably through the bearing which is carried by the bracket 15, and this hollow shaft portion 14 is connected at its inner or rear end portion to an overrunning clutch means 16. An elongated hollow spindle 17 surrounds and is in threaded engagement with the exterior threaded portion 12 of the motor shaft It At its end which is directed toward the elongated hollow pinion means 13, the hollow spindle 17 carries a flange 18 which is fixed nonrotatably to the driving part 19 of the overrunning clutch means 16, so that this overrunning clutch means 16 is located between and connected to the elongated hollow pinion means 13 and the hollow spindle 17. In the rest position of the transmission shown in FIG. 1 the elongated hollow spindle 17, which is thus in its rest position, extends rearwardly beyond the threaded portion 12 of the shaft 10, and a releasable holding means releasably holds the spindle 17 in this rest position thereof. This releasable holding means is formed in part by the rear portion of the spindle 17 which extends beyond the threaded portion 12 and is formed with a plurality of openings 20 distributed around the spindle 1.7 as well as by a plurality of ball members 21 extending into the openings 20, respectively, these ball members 21 being received in the holding position of the releasable holding means 20, 21 in a groove 22 which extends circumferentially around the shaft 10 just to the rear of the threaded portion 12 thereof, and it will be noted that the side surfaces of the groove 22 are inclined so that the ball members 21 can ride inwardly toward and outwardly away from the axis of the shaft it particularly along the left inclined side surface of the groove 22, as viewed in FIG. 1.

A shiftable means in the form of an elongated hollow sleeve 23 slidably surrounds the spindle 17 and is axially shiftable therealong. The rear portion 24 of the shiftable means 23 slidably engages the exterior surface of the spindle 17. The forward portion of the sleeve 23 has a larger inner diameter than the rear portion 24 thereof so that this front portion 25 is spaced from and surrounds the spindle 17, and the portion 25 of the shiftable sleeve 23 is joined to the portion 24 thereof by the shoulder portion 26 of the sleeve 23. The rear end 27 of the sleeve 23 has an inner flared surface forming part of a cone and cooperating with the ball members 21 to provide smooth engagement between the shiftable means 23 and the ball members 21 of the releasable holding means. A spring means 23 is in the form of a coil spring surrounding the spindle 17 between the flange 18 thereof and the shoulder 26 of the sleeve 23, and this spring means 28 extends into the space between the front por tion 25 of the sleeve 23 and the spindle 17 and engages the shoulder 26 so that the spring means 23 urges the shiftable means 23 to its rest position shown in FIG. 1.

The front portion 25 of the sleeve 23 terminates at its end which is nearest to the overrunning clutch means 16 in an outwardly directed annular flange 29, and part of a brake means is carried by the portion 25 of the sleeve 23 at the exterior thereof adjacent to the flange 29-. This part of the brake means includes the metal ring 30 which is located adjacent the flange 29 and which is placed loosely on the portion 25 of the sleeve 23, and a brake disc 31 of a suitable material which has a high coefiicient of friction is located next to the ring 30. A holding ring 2% surrounds the portion 25 of the sleeve 23 and is pressed onto this portion 25 of the sleeve 23 so as to be fixed to the latter, and this ring 2% holds the rings 3i? and 31 in their predetermined position on the sleeve 23. In this way the ring 29a fixes the rings 30 and 31 to the sleeve 23. As is shown most clearly in FIGS. 3 and 4, the ring 36, which is fixed to and therefore forms part of the sleeve 23, has a pair of diametrically opposed forwardly extending lugs 32 respectively formed with elongated slots 33. Thus, the ring 30 forms part of the shiftable means or sleeve 23, while the ring 31 forms part of a brake means fixedly carried by the shiftable means or sleeve 23. The other part of the brake means is formed by the elongated hollow tubular member 34 which is fixed at its rear end to the starting motor shaft 16 for rotation therewith, and it will be noted that the elongated hollow tubular member 34 closely surrounds the rear portion 24 of the shiftable sleeve 23 so that the latter is received within the hollow tubular member 34. At its front end this hollow tubular mem ber 34 is formed with an outwardly directed annular flange 35 which forms the other part of the brake means and which is engaged by the part 31 of the brake means which is carried by the sleeve 23, so that when the latter is in its rest position shown in FIG. 1 the brake means is engaged.

In order to move the transmission from the rest position thereof shown in FIG. 1 to the operating position thereof shown in FIG. 2 a lever means 37 is provided, and this lever means 37 is operatively connected to the shiftable sleeve 23 and has a rest position, shown in FIG. 1, when the sleeve 23 is in its rest position. The lever means 37 is supported for turning movement by a stationary pivot 36, carried by the bracket 15, and the portion of the lever 37 which is adjacent to the starting motor transmission is bifurcated and extends in part around the transmission. At its free ends the lever 37 carries a pair of pins 38 which are respectively received in the slots 33 of the lugs 32 of the ring 30 which is fixed to the sleeve 23, so that in this way the lever means 37 has a pin-and-slot connection with the shiftable means 23.

In order to turn the lever means 37 from its rest position shown in FIG. 1 to its operating position indicated in FIG. 2, this lever means 37 is actuated by a magnetic switch assembly 39 shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1. The magnetic switch assembly 39 includes a switch-bridging member 40 which, when shifted to the right from the position shown in FIG. 1, will bridge a pair of contacts so as to place the starting motor 41 in electrical connection with the storage battery 42. Moreover, the magnetic switch assembly 3? includes the manually-operable ignition switch 43 which can be closed by the operator and which when closed places the coil 44 of the magnetic switch in electrical connection with the battery 42, and of course when this coil 44 is energized the armature of the switch will shift to the right, as viewed in FIG. 1, so that in this way the lever 37 will be turned from the position of FIG. 1 to that of FIG. 2 and the switchbridging member 49 will be moved to the position placing the starting motor 41 in electrical connection with the battery 42. A spring 45 urges the armature of the switch 39 to its rest position so that when the coil 44 is energized the movement of the armature is in opposite to the spring 45. The upper free end of the lever 37 is also bifurcated and extends between a pair of flanges which are carried by the armature of the switch so that when this armature moves axially the lever 37 will turn.

The above-described structure of FIGS. 1 and 2 operates as follows:

In order to shift the elongated hollow pinion means 13 from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG. 2 where the pinion meshes with the gear 146 which forms, for example, the periphery of the flywheel of the internal combustion engine, the operator energizes the switch 3? so that the lever 37 turns from the position of FIG. 1 to that of FIG. 2. As a result of the pin-and-slot connection between the lever 37 and the shiftable sleeve 23, the latter is moved to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1, in opposition to the spring means 28, and the hollow spindle 17 cannot initially follow the movement of the sleeve 23 because it is held by the releasable holding means 20, 21. However, when the shiftable means 23 has been shifted with respect to the hollow spindle 17 in opposition to the spring 28, compressing the latter, by a distance sutficient to displace the rear end 27 of the sleeve 23 forwardly with respect to the ball members 21, the latter can move outwardly away from the axis of the shaft 10 further into the openings 20 so that the releasable holding means is in this way released by the sleeve 23 and thus the ball members can move to the position of FIG. 2 releasing the hollow spindle 17 for movement axially along the threaded portion 12 of the shaft 19, this threaded portion having a relatively large pitch, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this way the entire unit formed by the spindle 17, the overrunning clutch means 16 and the hollow pinion means 13 can be shifted forwardly, after the releasable holding means is released by the shiftable means 23, from the position of FIG. 1 to that of FIG. 2 placing the pinion in mesh with the gear of the internal combustion engine. In this position of the parts the ball members ride on the threads of the shaft 14 and extend somewhat outwardly beyond the spindle 17, as shown in FIG. 2. It will be noted also that the forward movement of the sleeve 23 has displaced the part 31 of the brake means which is carried by the sleeve 23 forwardly away from the part 35 of the brake means which is carried by the shaft 10, so that the motor shaft 10 together with the armature of the motor are free to turn. In other words the forward movement of the sleeve 23 from the position of FIG. 1 toward that of FIG. 2 places the brake means in a disengaged position.

When, after the internal combustion engine has been started, the starting motor is turned off, the armature of the magnet switch 39 is returned to its rest position by spring 45, the switch 43 having been opened by the operator, and as a result the starting motor 41 is no longer connected electrically with the battery 42 and also the lever 37 is turned back from the position of FIG. 2 to that of FIG. 1. The threaded connection of the spindle 17 on the portion 12 of the shaft 19 augments the return of the parts toward their rest position inasmuch as while the pinion 13 remains in mesh with the gear 146 there will be through the overr-unning clutch means 16 a relatively light frictional transmission provided during free running of the clutch means 16 when it does not transmit any motion, and this light transmission of the drive from the gear 13 to the spindle 17 will cause the latter to turn with respect to the threads 12 in a direction which will urge the parts back toward the position of FIG. 1. The rearward movement of the spindle 17 acts through the spring 28 on the sleeve 23 to shift the latter rearwardly also. Just before the spindle 17 reaches its rest position shown in FIG. 1 the ball members'zl are urged by the inner surface of the end 27 of the sleeve 23, which is urged reanwardly by the spring 28 at this time, into the groove 22 so that the sleeve 23 in this way places the releasable holding means in its holding position which releasably holds the spindle 17 in its rear, rest position shown in FIG. 1. Furthermore, the brake means 31, 35, will be actuated at this time inasmuch as the portion 31 thereof which is carried by the sleeve 23 will be moved into engagement with the portion 35 which is fixed to the shaft 10. It will be noted that since the pins 38 of the lever 37 are located in the slots 33 the sleeve 23 cannot turn and will be held by the lever 37 against angular movement so that the part 3 1 of the brake means remains stationary while engaged by the part 35 which is fixed to the shaft '10 for rotation therewith so that in this way the shaft together With the motor armature are braked.

-It is to be noted that in the rest position of the parts the spring 28 holds the sleeve 23 as well as the rings 30 and 31 against the tubular member 34 which is fixed to the shaft 10, and in addition the spring 28 urges the spindle 17 axially with respect to the shaft 16, the latter force of the spring 28 being transmitted to the overrunning clutch means 16, so that as a result with this assembly of the invention the parts are very greatly insulated from the vibrations of the engine so that the influence of such vibrations on the parts is very greatly diminished with this construction.

In the embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the pair of rings 38 and 3 1 and the sleeve 23 are replaced by a single unitary member 46 made of plastic and including the inner sleeve portion 49 which is integral with a radial flange 47 the outer periphery of which is integrally connected with a cylindrical portion 48. The part 49 of course slidably engages the exterior of the spindle 17 and cooperates in the abovedescribed manner with the ball members 21 of the releasable holding means. This part 49 corresponds to the portion 24 of the sleeve 23. The rear part of the cylindrical portionx ts terminates in an end face which engages the front flange of the tubular member 34 which is fixed to the shaft 10, so that it is this rear portion of the cylindrical part 48 which forms part of the brake means of this embodiment. Moreover, the exterior surface of the cylinder 48 is formed with a pair of grooves 50, shown in FIG. 6, respectively receiving the pins 38, so that in this way with this embodiment also there is provided a pin-and-slot connection between the lever 37 and the shiftable means 46, and thus this structure will limit the turning of this shiftable means 46 so that the rear portion of the cylindrical part 48 thereof will be stationary when placed in engagement with the rotary tubular member 34 to act as a brake means in cooperation therewith. In other respects the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 is identical with that of FIGS. 1-4.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of starting motors differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in starting motor transmissions, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A starting motor transmission for internal combustion engines, comprising, in combination, an elongated starting motor shaft having a smooth portion and a threaded portion; elongated hollow pinion means carried by said smooth portion of said starting motor shaft for rotational and axial movement relative thereto; a hollow spindle surrounding and threadedly engaging said threaded portion of said motor shaft; overrunning clutch means connecting said elongated hollow pinion means with said hollow spindle; releasable holding means cooperating with said motor shaft and said spindle for releasably holding the latter in a rest position relative to said motor shaft; shiftable means carried by said hollow spindle for axial shiftable movement relative thereto, said shiftable means having a rest position holding said releasable holding means in a position releasably holding said spindle in said rest position thereof on said motor shaft; brake means carried in part by said motor shaft and in part by said shiftable means and said brake means being engaged when said shiftable means is in said rest position thereof holding said releasable holding means in said holding position thereof; spring means urging said shiftable means to said rest position thereof; lever means operatively connected to said shiftable means for shifting the latter and being in a given rest position when said shiftable means is in said rest position thereof, said lever means being turnable from said rest position thereof to an operating position thereof and during turning from said rest to said operating position shifting said shiftable means in opposition to said spring means along said hollow spindle for placing said brake means in a disengaged position and for releasing said holding means so that said spindle can move axially with respect to said motor shaft while said axial movement of said spindle acts on said hollow pinion means to place the latter in a position transmitting a drive from the motor shaft to the internal combustion engine; and means cooperating with said shiftable means to limit turning of the latter so that the part of said brake means carried by said shiftable means remains stationary when engaged by the part of said brake means carried by said motor shaft.

2. A starting motor transmission comprising, in combination, an elongated starting motor shaft having a smooth portion and a threaded portion; elongated hollow pinion means carried by said smooth portion of said motor shaft for rotational and axial movement relative thereto; an elongated hollow spindle surrounding and threadedly engaging said threaded portion of said shaft; overrunning clutch means located betwwn and interconnecting said elongated hollow pinion means with said spindle; releasable holding means cooperating with said shaft and spindle for releasably holding the latter in a given rest position with respect to said shaft; elongated hollow sleeve means surrounding and shiftable on said spindle, said sleeve means having a rest position cooperating with said releasable holding means for maintaining the latter in a holding position holding said spindle against axial movement relative to said motor shaft; brake means carried in part by said shaft and in part by said sleeve means and being placed by said sleeve means in an engaged position when said sleeve means is in said rest position thereof;

spring means urgingsaid sleeve means to said rest position thereof; lever means operatively connected to said sleeve means and having a given rest position when said sleeve means is in said rest position thereof, said lever means being turnable from said rest position to an operating position and during turning from said rest to said operating position shifting said sleeve means in opposition to said spring means to a position releasing said holding means and placing said brake means in a disengaged position, the movement of said sleeve means by said lever means in opposition to said spring means also shifting said spindle, overrunning clutch means, and pinion means axially with respect to said shaft for placing said pinion means in a position cooperating with an internal combustion engine to start the latter; and means cooperating with said sleeve means to limit turning of the latter so that the part of the brake means carried by said sleeve means remains stationary when engaged by the part of said brake means carried by said motor shaft.

3. A starting motor transmission as recited in claim 2 and wherein the part of said brake means which is carried by said motor shaft is hollow and receives in its interior part of said sleeve means.

4. A starting motor transmission comprising, in combination, an elongated motor shaft having an elongated exterior smooth surface portion and, axially displaced with respect to said smooth surface portion, an elongated exterior threaded portion; elongated hollow pinion means surrounding said elongated smooth surface portion of said motor shaft and being rotationally and axially movable with respect thereto; an elongated hollow spindle surrounding and threadedly engaging said threaded surface portion of said motor shaft; overrunning clutch means located between and interconnecting said pinion means with said spindle; releasable holding means cooperating with said shaft and spindle for releasably holding the latter in a given rest position relative to said shaft; an elongated hollow sleeve means surrounding said spindle and being axially shiftable therealong, said sleeve means having a rest position retaining said releasable holding means in said holding position thereof; brake means having a part fixedly carried by said motor shaft for rotary movement therewith and a part carried by said sleeve means and engaging the part carried by said motor shaft for placing said brake means in an engaged position when said sleeve means is in said rest position thereof; spring means urging said sleeve means to said rest position thereof; and lever means operatively connected to said sleeve means and having a given rest position when said sleeve means is in said rest position thereof, said lever means being turnable from said rest position thereof to an operating position and during turning from said rest to said operating position thereof moving said sleeve means in opposition to said spring means relative to said spindle to a position releasing said holding means so that said spindle and said overrunning clutch means and pinion therewith can move axially with respect to said motor shaft and displacing the part of said brake means carried by said sleeve means away from the part of said brake means carried by said motor shaft so as to place said brake means in a disengaged position, said lever means having a pin-and-slot connection with sai sleeve means to limit rotary movement thereof so that the part of said brake means carried by said sleeve means will remain stationary when engaged by the part of said brake means carried by said motor shaft.

5. A starting motor transmission as recited in claim 4 and wherein said sleeve means has at least one portion formed with a slot and receiving a pin carried by said lever means to form said pin-and-slot connection between said lever means and sleeve means.

6. A starting motor transmission as recited in claim 4 and wherein said sleeve means is formed with a groove receiving a pin carried by said lever means to form said pin-and-slot connection between said lever means and sleeve means.

7. A starting motor transmission as recited in claim 6 wherein said sl eve means and the part of said brake 8 terms carried thereby as well as the portion of said sleeve means which is formed with said groove are all formed from one piece of plastic.

8. A starting motor transmission as recited in claim 7 and wherein said piece of plastic includes a tubular portion slidably engaging said spindle, a flange extending radially from said tubular portion, and an outer cylindrical portion fixed to the outer periphery of said flange, having one end portion forming said part of said brake means and engaging the part thereof fixed to said motor shaft when said sleeve means is in said rest position thereof and also formed with said groove which receives said pin carried by said lever means.

9. A starting motor transmission comprising, in combination, an elongated starting motor shaft having a smooth portion and a threaded portion; elongated hollow pinion means carried by said smooth portion of said motor shaft for rotational and axial movement relative thereto; an elongated hollow spindle surrounding and threadedly engaging said threaded portion of said shaft; overrunning clutch means located between and interconnecting said elongated hollow pinion means with said spindle; releasable holding means cooperating with said shaft and spindle for releasable holding the latter in a given rest position with respect to said shaft; elongated hollow sleeve means surrounding and shiftable on said spindle, said sleeve means having a rest position cooperating with said releasable holding means for maintaining the latter in a holding position holding said spindle against axial movement relative to said shaft, said sleeve means having an elongated portion directed toward said overrunning clutch means and being spaced from and surrounding said spindle; brake means carried in part by said shaft and in part by said sleeve means and being placed by said sleeve means in an engaged position when said sleeve means is in said rest position thereof; spring means extending between said spindle and said portion of said sleeve means which is directed toward said overrunning clutch means and urging said sleeve means to the rest position thereof; and lever means operatively con nected to said sleeve means and having a given rest position when said sleeve means is in said rest position thereof, said lever means being turnable from said rest position to an operating position and during turning from said rest to said operating position shifting said sleeve means in opposition to said spring means to a position releasing said holding means and placing said brake means in a disengaged position, the movement of said sleeve means by said lever means in opposition to said spring means also shifting said spindle, overrunning clutch means, and pinion means axially with respect to said shaft for placing said pinion means in a position cooperating with an internal combustion engine to start the latter.

10. A starting motor transmission comprising, in combination, an elongated starting motor shaft having a smooth portion and a threaded portion; elongated hollow pinion means carried by said smooth portion of said motor shaft for rotational and axial movement relative thereto; an elongated hollow spindle surrounding and threadedly engaging said threaded portion of said shaft; overrunning clutch meas located between and interconmeeting said elongated hollow pinion means with said spindle; releasable holding means cooperating with said shaft and spindle for releasably holding the latter in a given rest position with respect to said shaft; elongated hollow sleeve means surrounding and shiftable on said spindle, said sleeve means having a rest position cooperating with said releasable holding means for maintaining the latter in a holding position holding said spindle against axial movement relative to said motor shaft; brake means carried in part by said shaft and in part by said sleeve means and being placed by said sleeve means in an engaged position when said sleeve means is in said rest position thereof; spring means urging said sleeve means to said rest position thereof; and lever means having a bifurcated portion extending at least in part around said sleeve means and said bifurcated portion of said lever means having pin-and-slot connection with said sleeve means to limit turning movement of the latter so that the part of said brake means carried by said sleeve means remains stationary when engaged by the part of said brake means carried by said motor shaft, said lever means having a given rest position when said sleeve means is in said rest position thereof, said lever means being turnable from said rest position to an operating position and during turning from said rest to said operating position shifting said sleeve means in opposition to said spring means to a position releasing said holding means and placing said brake means in a disengaged position, the movement 10 said spring means also shifting said spindle, overrunning clutch means, and pinion means axially with respect to said shaft for placing said pinion means in a position c0- operating with an internal combustion engine to start the 5 latter.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 3,020,771 2/62 Redick et a1.

FOREIGN PATENTS 903,051 2/54 Germany.

of said sleeve means by said lever means in opposition to 15 BROUGHTON G. DURHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. A STARTING MOTOR TRANSMISSION FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, AN ELONGATED STARTING MOTOR SHAFT HAVING A SMOOTH PORTION AND A THREADED PORTION; ELONGATED HOLLOW PINION MEANS CARRIED BY SAID SMOOTH PORTION OF SAID STARTING MOTOR SHAFT FOR ROTATIONAL AND AXIAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO; A HOLLOW SPINDLE SURROUNDING AND THREADEDLY ENGAGING SAID THREADED PORTION OF SAID MOTOR SHAFT; OVERRUNNING CLUTCH MEANS CONNECTING SAID ELONGATED HOLLOW PINION MEANS WITH SAID HOLLOW SPINDLE; RELEASABLE HOLDING MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID MOTOR SHAFT IN SAID SPINDLE FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING THE LATTER IN A REST POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID MOTOR SHAFT; SHIFTABLE MEANS CARRIED BY SAID HOLLOW SPINDLE FOR AXIAL SHIFTABLE MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO, SAID SHIFTABLE MEANS HAVING A REST POSITION HOLDING SAID RELEASABLE HOLDING MEANS IN A POSITION RELEASABLY HOLDING SAID SPINDLE IN SAID REST POSITION THEREOF ON SAID MOTOR SHAFT; BRAKE MEANS CARRIED IN PART BY SAID MOTOR SHAFT AND IN PART BY SAID SHIFTABLE MEANS AND SAID BRAKE MEANS BEING ENGAGED WHEN SAID SHIFTABLE MEANS IS IN SAID REST POSITION THEREOF HOLDING SAID RELEASABLE HOLDING MEANS IN SAID HOLDING POSITION THEREOF; SPRING MEANS URGING SAID SHIFTABLE MEANS TO SAID REST POSITION THEREOF; LEVER MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID SHIFTABLE 